This application requests funds to support the 2012 (4th) Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) in Development & Disease at Les Diablerets Conference Center, Les Diablerets, Switzerland, May 13-18, 2012 and the associated (1st) Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Emerging Concepts in FGF Biology, May 12-13, 2012 at the same site. The FGFs comprise a family of growth and differentiation factors with essential functions in development, metabolism, and repair of tissues and organs. Dysregulation of FGF signaling is associated with human diseases, including several developmental/genetic diseases, metabolic disorders, and malignancies. The FGF- GRC will feature talks from invited and abstract-selected speakers as well as extended poster sessions encompassing the most recent and timely research in this highly diverse field. The conference will promote interdisciplinary interactions between academic scientists, clinicians and colleagues from industry studying all aspects of FGF biology. Topics covered in this unique conference include biochemistry of the FGF signaling complex and control of downstream signaling pathways and their impact on cell biology, physiology, endocrinology, development, pharmacology, pathology and regeneration/repair. For the first time, we will also offer a pre-conference GRS, organized by junior investigators at the postdoctoral level for investigators at the graduate student, postdoctoral and junior independent levels to present their research in a mentored environment, preparing them for full participation in the subsequent GRC. The goals of the FGF-GRC & GRS organizers are to: 1) Provide an international forum for talks and posters featuring mainly unpublished data representative of the diverse approaches taken by both junior and senior FGF biologists. 2) Encourage wide-ranging formal and informal discussions of the data, stimulating new and/or improved experimental directions for all attendees. 3) Encourage networking and new collaborations among attendees, particularly those in disparate fields of FGF biology and at different levels of advancement. 4) Provide junior investigators with an up-to-date background on all aspects of FGF biology and technology, and constructive feedback on their research projects from senior investigators. In support of these goals we propose to 1) support travel and/or registration costs for a diverse selection of 25 well-established invited speakers/discussion leaders plus the 4 GRC and GRS organizers and four junior independent investigators as speakers and 2) support travel and/or registration costs for 2 well-established invited speaker/mentors, 1 junior independent investigator and 10 trainees at the graduate student or postdoctoral levels to attend the GRS. These meetings will contribute significantly to the FGF field, through presentation of the most recent and significant advances and multidisciplinary networking of scientists at all levels, increasing opportunities for translaton of new insights into FGF biology into novel medical treatments for a broad range of diseases. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: We request funds to partially support the 2012 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) in Development & Disease. The FGFs are growth and differentiation factors with essential functions in development, metabolism and repair of tissues and organs and abnormal regulation of FGF signaling is associated with human diseases, including several developmental/genetic conditions, metabolic disorders and cancer. The FGF GRC and GRS will contribute significantly to advancing the FGF field, through presentation and discussion of the most recent and significant findings, and multidisciplinary networking of scientists at all levels, increasing opportunities for translation of new insights into FGF biology into novel medical treatments for a broad range of diseases.